1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a digital camera provided with an image pick-up device such as a CCD for converting an image of an object into electric signals.
2. Description of the Related Art
A digital camera (digital imaging camera) generally includes an image pick-up device such as a CCD (charge-coupled device) for converting an object image formed thereon through the photographic lens of the camera into electric signals which are then converted into digital signals. The digital signals are generally stored in a recording medium such as a flash memory or a memory card in a predetermined format.
In a conventional digital camera, it is difficult to reduce the thickness of the camera body because a bulky image pick-up device is positioned in the camera body behind the photographic lens. Even if the camera is designed to have a retractable photographic lens for the purpose of reducing the thickness of the camera body when the camera is not in use, it is still difficult to reduce the thickness because a sufficient space in which the photographic lens is to retract cannot be secured in front of the bulky image pick-up device within a thin camera body.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a digital camera having structure which makes it possible to design the camera body to be thin in the direction of the optical axis of the photographic lens of the camera.
To achieve the object mentioned above, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a digital camera which includes: a photographic lens movable along an optical axis thereof between a retracted position and a photographing position in front of the retracted position; an image pick-up device on which an object image is formed through the photographic lens, the image pick-up device being guided to be movable between a first position where the image pick-up device is positioned in a photographic optical path of the photographic lens behind the photographic lens and a second position where the image pick-up device is positioned out of the photographic optical path; and a mechanism for moving the image pick-up device between the first position and the second position, wherein the moving mechanism moves the image pick-up device to the first position when the photographic lens is moved from the retracted position to the photographing position, and wherein the moving mechanism moves the image pick-up device to the second position when the photographic lens is moved from the photographing position to the retracted position.
Preferably, the image pick-up device is guided in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis.
Preferably, the moving mechanism moves the image pick-up device from the first position to the second position before the photographic lens reaches the retracted position.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a digital camera having a retractable photographic lens. The digital camera includes: an image pick-up device on which an object image is focused through the photographic lens; and a mechanism for positioning the image pick-up device in a photographic optical path of the photographic lens behind the photographic lens when a power switch of the digital camera is turned ON, and for positioning the image pick-up device out of the photographic optical path when the power switch is turned OFF.
The present disclosure relates to subject matter contained in Japanese Patent Application No. 09-155144 (filed on Jun. 12, 1997) which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.